RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.07.10

Book

Highly Recommended: Jerry Weintraub’s Incredible Autobiography
I have fallen in love with this book: When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man, by Jerry Weinbtraub. I wrote an email about it last week after I read Chapter 1. It gets better with each chapter.

(Thanks to Brian Kurtz for recommending this in an email last month.)

Jerry Weintraub tells story after story about his life as a talent agent, concert promoter, and movie producer. He was the Forrest Gump of the entertainment industry. He was everywhere.

He worked with Elvis, Sinatra, Dylan, Denver, and Led Zeppelin. He produced Oh! God, Diner, The Karate Kid, and the “Ocean” movies (Ocean’s 11, etc.). He transformed industries.

You won’t find this book on the “Business” shelf at Barnes and Noble, but don’t let that fool you. This book gets a prominent spot on my Business shelf. Lessons about storytelling, mindset, commitment, courage, creativity, loyalty, and persuasion.

Jerry Weintraub was no saint. He did some cringey things — like the time he faked a heart attack to win a deal he was about to lose.

We’ll discuss it all — the good and the bad — on July 20 at the Mastermind Book Club. See “Events” below for details.

Last thing: Get this book — in audio, if you do that (he reads his own story which makes it even better).

Events

 3-Day FREE LinkedIn Masterclass/Workshop
(Tuesday-Thursday, July 11-13, Jul 11, 4-5 PM ET)
I’ve learned a ton about LinkedIn from Jon Keel. One of his best qualities: He keeps up with EVERY change in the platform. So every time he offers a training, he shares something, new, unique and valuable. Attend this if you want to elevate your LinkedIn game.

 How to Transform Your Content from Boring to Brilliant So Prospects Tune In, Turn On, and Buy
(Thursday, July 20, 2 PM ET) 
The kind folks at SMM Connect have invited me to speak next month. Registration is now open. I’ll present simple-to-implement strategies and tactics to weave client-attracting stories into your emails, social posts, videos, and other content – without writer’s block.

 Mastermind Book Club re: Jerry Weintraub’s Autobiography
(Thursday, July 20) 
See above for more on this book. Every month, Ted Prodromou and I choose a great book for Club members to read. We get together live on Zoom to share insights from the book, discuss how to apply those insights to our businesses, and celebrate success as we implement. The Club is free to join. Click the link above for details. Members receive emails with all the details about the event.

Article

 Taylor Sheridan Does Whatever He Wants
You don’t have to be a fan of the TV shows, Yellowstone, 1883, or 1923 to get something from this article. Taylor Sheridan created those series writes the scripts. This article is loaded with entertaining stories and valuable lessons for business and life. Easily my favorite article-read this month — and one I’ll re-read many times.

Resources / Tools

 Folio Wallet App A great free app to store credit cards, driver’s license, insurance cards, membership IDs, and other wallet-stuffers on your phone. Simple and secure.

Music

🎶 “You Got to Move” by Mavis Staples and Levon Helm
If you’ve never seen/heard Mavis Staples sing, click ⬆ now. This is from a 2011 concert with the great Levon Helm (drummer for The Band) at his studio and performance space in Woodstock, New York. Less than one year later, Helm passed away. And 11 years later, in 2022, the concert recording was released as an album, Carry Me Home. Mavis Staples turns 84 today, July 10. She may be past her prime, but she’s still among the best.

Words to Ponder

❝ Never let a character tell me something that the camera can show me.❞

– Taylor Sheridan